As reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, both Milwaukee Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer and Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Billy Donovan have been announced as winners of the National Basketball Coaches Association co-coaches of the year.
Additionally, Toronto Raptors’ head coach Nick Nurse was a mere vote away from making it a three-way tie.
Among those who also received votes, sources said: Memphis’ Taylor Jenkins, Indiana’s Nate McMillan, Miami’s Erik Spoelstra, Boston’s Brad Stevens, and the Lakers’ Frank Vogel.
Both evidently deserving of the award, Mike Budenholzer has, for the second time in his career, has led his team to the best record in the NBA. For his second year with the Milwaukee Bucks, Budenholzer’s spacious system has promulgated his Bucks to not only topple various regular-season records this year but have them in the driver’s seat to compete for a championship this year with MVP frontrunner Giannis Antetokounmpo leading the charge.
“First, congrats to Billy Donovan for the outstanding job he and his staff have done with the Oklahoma City Thunder,” said Milwaukee Bucks Head Coach Mike Budenholzer. “Another great year of coaching by Billy and, again, another great year of work by all the Head Coaches in the NBA. Thank you all for your vote and support. Thank you to our dedicated players and staff in Milwaukee. The players are special, the staff is special and I’m beyond fortunate to coach this great team and for this great organization.”
At 54-13, the Bucks are atop the East with no discrepancy deterring them from losing their spot in the conference since they are a whole 7.5 games ahead of second-place Toronto.
As it goes for OKC, Billy Donovan is as equally as deserving of the award as he’s gotten his Thunder out of the speculation pit of a lottery pick year, now with the Thunder peaking at sixth in the tumultuous Western Conference at 41-24.
Many prognosticators kept the Thunder out of the postseason for not having an established superstar floor general the moment they traded Paul George to the powerhouse Los Angeles Clippers for developing future All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and a bevy of first-round selections and sent Russell Westbrook to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Chris Paul, but these resilient Thunder have been the talk of the league, not just by keeping afloat in such a difficult conference but by showing they belong.
“I am honored and humbled to be recognized by the Coaches, they are a great group of people that I admire and respect,” said Oklahoma City Thunder Head Coach Billy Donovan. “Receiving the Michael H. Goldberg NBCA Coach of the Year Award alongside such a terrific Coach like Bud makes it even more special. Individual honors to me have always been a reflection of good team dynamics, and I’m proud of the collective work that our players, coaching staff and the entire organization has put in this season. I’m looking forward to what’s ahead in Orlando as we get back to basketball and using our platform for social justice.”
This is the second time the NBCA has had a tie, along with 2017 with Houston’s Mike D’Antoni and Miami’s Spoelstra.
The NBA also gives a coach of the year award — the Red Auerbach Trophy — based on a vote of the league’s media. That will be released at a later date.
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